A24 - The Brutalist | Behind the Score with Composer Daniel Blumberg
The discussion focuses on the creative process behind a film score, emphasizing live performances and unique sound techniques. The composer integrates live music by involving extraordinary artists and using unconventional methods, such as prepared pianos and recording in diverse locations. For a film about construction, a prepared piano was used to create percussive sounds by altering the strings with objects. This approach provided a unique auditory experience that matched the film's themes. Additionally, live music was used on set to enhance the actors' performances and the cinematographer's work, creating a dynamic and immersive environment. Specific scenes were shot to music, allowing actors to move in sync with the score, enhancing the storytelling. The composer also recorded ambient sounds, like the echo in a marble quarry, to integrate into the score, replacing gunshots with soprano saxophone sounds, adding depth and texture to the film's audio landscape.
Key Points:
- Use live performances to enhance film scores.
- Incorporate unconventional sound techniques, like prepared pianos.
- Record in diverse locations for unique soundscapes.
- Integrate live music on set to improve actor and cinematographer performance.
- Replace traditional sounds with innovative audio elements for depth.
Details:
1. 🎺 Crafting Sirens with Brass: Tuba, Trombones, and Trumpets
- The initial sound mix draft featured siren-like sounds that lacked a unique auditory appeal, prompting a creative solution.
- Brass instruments, specifically tubas, trombones, and trumpets, were chosen to replicate the siren sounds, creating a distinctive and memorable effect.
- This integration not only enhanced the sound mix but also demonstrated the versatility and expressive potential of brass instruments in modern music production.
2. 🎶 Enlivening the Film with Live Performances
- The film's music strategy involved incorporating live performances to create an immersive and authentic experience.
- Renowned artists, such as Tilbury on piano, were specifically chosen to enhance the musical quality and impact, demonstrating a commitment to high-caliber talent.
- The decision to use live performances was driven by a desire to make the music a living element of the film, enhancing its overall immersive quality.
- Additional context: The choice of live music performances was intended to bring a unique vibrancy and spontaneity that pre-recorded tracks could not achieve.
- The integration of live performances required careful planning and execution to align with the film's narrative and emotional tone, ensuring cohesiveness throughout.
3. 🎹 Prepared Piano: Creating Unique Percussive Sounds
- 90% of the score for a film about construction was recorded using a prepared piano, showcasing its importance in the production.
- The setup used for recording was small and mobile, allowing for flexibility and convenience in different locations.
- Prepared piano technique involves inserting screws and objects into the piano strings, creating unique percussive sounds that are distinct from traditional piano tones.
- This method emphasizes the versatility and creativity in sound production, enabling composers to explore new auditory textures.
4. 🎵 Harmonizing Music with Cinematic Motion
- Music was used as a foundational element for filming certain scenes, particularly the Overture scene, to enhance the actor's performance by allowing them to move to the music.
- In the scene depicting Adrian's character, Laslo, transitioning from the Holocaust camps to America, music played a key role, being broadcast over speakers to guide and influence movement.
- Live music was incorporated into the set for specific scenes, such as a jazz scene, contributing to a more authentic and immersive atmosphere.
- A band was sourced from Paris, Marseille, and Berlin for the jazz scene, featuring incredible musicianship that enriched the actors' performances.
- The use of music was not only for background but actively shaped actors' expressions and actions, providing a sensory cue that aligned with the narrative.
- Each musical piece was carefully selected to match the emotional tone of the scene, ensuring a cohesive and impactful storytelling experience.
5. 🎷 Capturing Acoustic Echoes in Italy
- The film features a section set in Carrera, Italy, renowned for its marble extraction, providing a unique acoustic backdrop.
- Evan Parker's soprano saxophone performance was recorded to capture the natural acoustics of the location.
- A gunshot was initially recorded to measure the reverb characteristics of the space. This sound was then digitally replaced with the saxophone, using specialized software.
- The software used allowed the maintenance of the live quality of the performance while ensuring precise synchronization with the film scenes.
- The recording process faced challenges in synchronizing the live music feel with the edited film, resulting in a lively and authentic final product.
- This method marries the artistic performance with technological precision, enhancing the film's auditory experience.